Open Games Read – Understand – Play

1 2 3 Jerzy Konikowski Uwe Bekemann Openings Open Games read – understand – play Joachim Beyer Verlag 4 Imprint ISBN 978-3-95920-975-5 1. Edition 2018 © by Joachim Beyer Verlag All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the publisher. Joachim Beyer Verlag is the trademark of Schachverlag Ullrich, Zur Wallfahrtskirche 5, 97483 Eltmann, Germany. Translation: Lothar Nikolaiczuk Publisher: Robert Ullrich Table of Contents 5 Explanation of Symbols .......................................................................... 7 Preface ....................................................................................................... 8 Introduction................................................................................................ 10 Chapter 1: The Center Game ..................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: The Danish Gambit .................................................................. 20 Chapter 3: The Bishop’s Opening ............................................................. 25 Chapter 4: Alapin’s Opening ..................................................................... 29 Chapter 5: The King’s Gambit ................................................................... 32 Line 1: The King’s Gambit Accepted ........................................................... 35 Line 2: The King’s Gambit Declined ............................................................. 41 Line 3: The Falkbeer Counter-Gambit ......................................................... 43 Chapter 6: The Vienna Game ..................................................................... 46 Chapter 7: The Philidor Defense ............................................................... 53 Chapter 8: The Latvian Gambit.................................................................. 58 Chapter 9: The Queen’s Pawn Counter-Gambit ..................................... 61 Chapter 10: The Petrov Defense ................................................................ 64 Chapter 11: The Three Knights Game ....................................................... 70 Chapter 12: The Four Knights Game ........................................................ 73 Chapter 13: The Ponziani Opening ........................................................... 77 Chapter 14: The Scotch Game................................................................... 80 Chapter 15: The Two Knights Defense ...................................................... 87 Line 1: 4.d3 .................................................................................................. 93 Line 2: 4.d4 .................................................................................................. 94 6 Table of Contents Chapter 16: The Italian Game .................................................................... 99 Chapter 17: The Evans Gambit................................................................ 105 Chapter 18: The Hungarian Defense ....................................................... 109 Chapter 19: The Ruy Lopez ..................................................................... 111 The Berlin Defense ................................................................................ 112 The Classical Line ................................................................................. 116 The Jänisch Gambit .............................................................................. 120 Bird’s Defense ....................................................................................... 125 The Steinitz Defense ............................................................................. 126 The Cozio Defense ................................................................................ 127 The Smyslov Defense ........................................................................... 128 Continuation of the main line - 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 ................ 128 The Exchange Variation ......................................................................... 128 Continuation of the main line - 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ...... 132 The Closed Variation .............................................................................. 136 The Open Variation ................................................................................ 141 The Arkhangelsk Variation ..................................................................... 145 The Marshall Attack .............................................................................. 149 Bibliography ............................................................................................ 156 Explanation of Symbols 7 ! a good move !! an excellent move ? a weak move ?? a blunder !? an interesting move ?! a dubious move +- White has a decisive advantage -+ Black has a decisive advantage ± White stands better µ Black stands better ² White stands slightly better ³ Black stands slightly better = equal ÷ unclear; with chances for both sides © with compensation for the material deficit … with the idea or intention ¹ better is x takes + check # mate 8 Preface Nowadays a whole public library could easily be filled with opening literature. But how does this help a player, who - for whatever reason - cannot afford to buy and/or work through dozens of titles? By offering him this book, which is the first of a small series, we want to cover his basic need for opening information. Our focus is primarily on players of the following categories: 1. Beginners, who already have a good command of the rules and know the basics of a proper game, and who now need the basic equipment for an orientation in the world of chess openings. 2. Players, who already have some experience, but see a deficit especially in the area of openings, and who want to overcome that deficit quickly and without exaggerated effort. 3. Hobby players, who want to make themselves familiar with certain openings to a degree that enables them to play interesting and entertaining games. This book is dedicated to the so-called ‘Open Games’ which arise after the initial moves 1.e4 e5. For example such renowned and important openings as the ‘Ruy Lopez’, the ‘Four Knights Game’ or the ‘King’s Gambit’, to name only a few. Each of the 19 chapters covers a specific opening and provides the reader with sufficient information according to the concept described above. We attach great importance to the presentation of ideas and plans that are inherent in an opening. Therefore, we occasionally even explain the reason for certain seemingly self evident moves, if we think it necessary. Not only shall the reader be enabled to play the right move, but also to understand exactly why this is the right move. Only then will he be able to play his openings with sense and understanding, instead of just reproducing the lines learned by heart without understanding them. And only then can he keep the guidelines in mind, even if the game leaves the usual way. We have done our best to avoid repetition. For example, if we have already explained the meaning of a move in one line, we will not repeat the explanation if the move appears in a similar position. It is therefore advisable to work through the chapters from the beginning and to proceed chronologically in chapters with more than one line. And finally, one more word about how we have chosen the material. We have basically recorded everything that is considered playable. Within the different lines, we have always looked for promising possibilities to leave the well-trodden Preface 9 paths. Thereby we want to enable the readers to pose problems to their opponents in practice by surprising them with something they are (hopefully) unfamiliar with. Because well-prepared surprises increase the chances of success and increase the fun! We hope you enjoy our book and have fun and success in your games! If we can help you a little to achieve your goals, our work has been worthwhile. 10 Introduction The initial moves 1.e4 e5 lead to the Chapter 2: so-called ‘Open Games’ which are the subject of our book. They are present- The Danish Gambit ed in the following order. 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 8rnls wqklnv r0t 8rnls wqklnv r0t 7zpppp+pz zpp0 7zpppp+pz zpp0 6-+-+-+-+0 6-+-+-+-+0 5+-+-p-+-0z 5+-+-+-+-0 4-+-+P+-+0 4-+-zpP+-+0 3+-+-+-+-0 3+-P-+-+-0z 2PPPz P-z zPPP0z 2PP-+-z zPPP0z 1tRNvLQKLm sNR0 1tRNvLQKLm sNR0 xabcdefghy xabcdefghy Chapter 1: Chapter 3: The Center Game The Bishop’s Opening 1.e4 e5 2.d4 1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 8rnls wqklnv r0t 8rnls wqklnv r0t 7zpppp+pz zpp0 7zpppp+pz zpp0 6-+-+-+-+0 6-+-+-+-+0 5+-+-p-+-0z 5+-+-p-+-0z 4-+-zPP+-+0 4-+L+P+-+0 3+-+-+-+-0 3+-+-+-+-0 2PPP+-z zPPP0z 2PPPz P-z zPPP0z 1tRNvLQKLm sNR0 1tRNvLQK-m sNR0 xabcdefghy xabcdefghy Introduction 11 Chapter 4: Chapter 6: Alapin’s Opening The Vienna Game 1.e4 e5 2.¤e2 1.e4 e5 2.¤c3 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 8rnls wqklnv r0t 8rnls wqklnv r0t 7zpppp+pz zpp0 7zpppp+pz zpp0 6-+-+-+-+0 6-+-+-+-+0 5+-+-p-+-0z 5+-+-p-+-0z 4-+-+P+-+0 4-+-+P+-+0 3+-+-+-+-0 3+-N-+-+-0s 2PPPz PNz zPPP0z 2PPPz P-z zPPP0z 1tRNvLQKL+R0m 1tR-vLQKLm sNR0 xabcdefghy xabcdefghy Chapter 5: Chapter 7: The King’s Gambit The Philidor Defense 1.e4 e5 2.f4 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 d6 XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 8rnls wqklnv r0t 8rnls wqklnv r0t 7zpppp+pz zpp0 7zppp-+pz zpp0 6-+-+-+-+0 6-+-zp-+-+0 5+-+-p-+-0z 5+-+-p-+-0z 4-+-+PzP-+0 4-+-+P+-+0 3+-+-+-+-0 3+-+-+N+-0

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